


Wrong rules

by imperfekti



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-09
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2018-02-20 13:06:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2429903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imperfekti/pseuds/imperfekti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was this song drabble challenge on LJ way back in 2008 that turned out being quite fun. All of the ten original text were written in Finnish, and here I will translate some of them to English.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Two princes

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Vääriä sääntöjä](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2429753) by [imperfekti](https://archiveofourown.org/users/imperfekti/pseuds/imperfekti). 



”Mom, is the show over already?”

”Very soon! Why don't you two be good boys and go ahead to bed. You could pick a book and mom will be there in a moment to read it for you.”

The stairs were something of a hurdle still, but Shuusuke waited on every other step for Yuuta to climb after him.

”Mom always takes so long”, Yuuta huffed as they made it up the stairs and into their room. Shuusuke helped him up into the bed before making it to the bookshelves.

”She does, but it's okay”, he smiled, and piled all the best books on the edge of the bed before climbing in himself, settling down next to his brother. ”That soap opera will have to end sometime.”

”Soap what?”

"I don't know. Something neesan said. Should we ask for the Three Princesses today?”

”Girls never do anything exciting. Not that one.”

Yuuta kicked the boring book of princesses out of the bed, and as it hit the floor Shuusuke wondered out loud if their books had any stories with only princes in them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't seem to find the right fairy tale that I referred to here anymore. I have this vague memory of a Russian story in mind.


	2. In essence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Fuji brothers on a summer trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still happy with this one after eight years of writing the original Finnish version.

”Finally here”, Shuusuke sighs and places his bags on the floor. Kicking the sandals off his feet, he soon disappears inside the house. Coming in after his brother, Yuuta can still vaguely hear him saying the tatami feels good against his bare feet. Yuuta similarly decides against wearing the slippers – the day is too hot for them.

The kitchen is a bit cooler - the karamatsu tree on the yard has grown so tall it really shadows this part of the house now, leaving the sun no direct way in. The electricity hasn't been on though, so the refrigerator is as warm as the summer day. Yuuta leaves their food in the cold bags and goes take a look at the courtyard. His brother has already made his way to the other side of the garden, turns back and lightly but carefully steps on the smoothest parts of the stones making up the little pathway.

”This place is the same as ever”, he says with a smile.

”Well, I don't know.”

”In essence.”

”But in practise.”

”Does that matter?”

Yuuta can't come up with anything he should immediately be doing, and sits on the edge of the terrace. The sun shines on his brother's hair so that it looks golden for a while, until he comes close enough to enter the shadow of the house. Yuuta looks away while Shuusuke smiles and sits next to him.

Somewhere close a hollow piece of bamboo becomes filled with water, tips over and turns back up again with a distinctive clap to be filled anew. The summer wind is soft on the courtyard. It's quiet when the older brother touches the younger one's hand, and Yuuta remembers he needs to turn his cell phone on silent when he'll go back inside.


	3. Rules

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It always feels like home when I come back to these boys.

Yuuta often thinks his brother is better with rules than him. Brother knows the etiquette and the right way to behave with others. He knows what to say when any help is needed, and his smile can melt away difficult situations. He's considerate, polite, they say.

When his brother calls Yuuta at three AM, four days before the New Year, asking if he would join him to write wishes for the upcoming year at a temple that is definitely closed off for the night - perfect timing, since no one else will be there, he says - Yuuta kind of wishes his brother didn't just know the rules but also maybe followed them a bit more.

Still, he ends up going with him.


End file.
